The present invention relates to a truck having a cargo box with a tailgate, and more particularly to a hinge assembly for the tailgate that allows for pivoting as well as removal of the tailgate from the truck.
For typical pickup trucks, the rear of the cargo box is closed with a tailgate. These tailgates pivot between a closed position (vertical) and an open position (horizontal) while mounted on a pair of hinges. The tailgate and the hinges are also designed to allow the tailgate to be completely removed from the vehicle. The hinges are mounted on the D-pillars and the sides of the tailgate near the bottom. The hinges are typically a cup-and-socket design, which provides ease of tailgate removal but has a somewhat loose fit (i.e., side-to-side free play) that allows for side-to-side movement of the tailgate in the cargo box opening during vehicle use. This movement may cause rattling sounds and potentially reduce the durability of the hinge assembly. The amount of free play is affected by tolerances during vehicle assembly and sometimes requires added shims to reduce the free play. This undesirably adds to the assembly process.